Process vs. Outcome

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Many of us have an idea where we want to end up. We have our destination in mind and we work hard to arrive at our intended destination. Whether it be in regard to finances, education, health and fitness, relationships, or any other area, we have certain "things" we desire, and when we put action behind achieving these desires, we could say they become goals. These goals are our intended outcomes and to improve our likelihood of achieving these outcomes we often seek the advice of those who have already achieved either the outcome in its entirety or more of the outcome than we presently have. In other words, we look to external sources in order to improve the quality of an internal process.

Now, there are certainly situations where seeking the advice of those who have come before you is incredibly beneficial.  For example, if a college professor were to give the same exam year after year, it may be worth your time and effort to gather as much information about what is on the exam from those who have already taken in.  The crucial point, though, is that they don't dictate exactly how you prepare and study for the exam.  Because people learn in different ways, in different settings, and at different speeds, it would be asinine to prescribe a predetermined syllabus that says what, where, and for how long somebody else needs to study each bit of the subject matter.

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What about something like baking a cake or constructing a Lego set? These formulas for success have time-tested variables in terms of the physical process that needs to happen in order for the desired outcome to be achieved.  There still is, however, a lot of variation in regard to how long it will actually take someone to, for example, bake a great-tasting cake.  Some people will need more practice than others before they acquire the necessary skills as well as conceptualize why each step is important.

You see this all the time in fitness and training.  Trainers and coaches are constantly pushing the mindset of, "This is what I did and it worked for me so it will work for you, too."  The flaws with this line of thinking are very apparent when it comes to baking or learning math and yet we still, as an industry, try to carry on with it in fitness and training. "This is what I did to lose weight so you should do it, too." "This is what I did to develop into a professional athlete so it will work for you, too." "This is how I got stronger so this is the method you should use." Really???

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Are we that unable to look beyond ourselves and see that this person's biological make-up and their life experiences may be completely different from our own such that we think our way is the best way for them?  And not just the best way, but the only way, such that there is no other option.  This is completely outlandish.

Tom Purvis, founder of RTS, speaks of this kind of mindset in his "6 + 2 = 8" vs. "8 = 6 + 2" scenario.*  In the first equation there is one and only one correct answer.  In the second equation there are literally an infinite number of correct answers.  The problem we have as both a society and an industry is we see the two equations as exactly the same.  Our personal experiences are the first equation, while those of the people we are working with are the second equation.  We both know what we want, but that by no means it is an indicator that our processes should be the same.  But, because we have gotten a "correct" answer in the past, we stop looking for new answers and instead try to plug everybody and everything around us into our own personal equation.

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Offering advice to others based off of your own experience can be incredibly valuable to them, but we must be cautious when administering orders without first taking into consideration the individual's specific abilities and goals.  We know the outcome want, but in all honesty we are rarely certain of the process. This uncertainty can only be reduced if we are able to objectively analyze each individual's unique and ever-changing situation.  Without doing so, we are shooting in the dark and hoping for the best.

Get big or die tryin’.

Charlie Cates, CSCS
Self Made_®, Owner and Founder

Charlie Cates is a strength and conditioning specialist and the owner and founder of Self Made_® (http://selfmadefitness.com/) in Chicago, IL.  He has worked with competitive and everyday athletes of all ages and ability levels, from 9-year-old kids to NFL MVP’s.  He can be reached via e-mail at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.

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*There is more to this scenario than what is elaborated on here, but for the purposes of this post that is as far as I will discuss it.